Sustainability Meets Storytelling: Partnering with Ocean Sole.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Why Sustainability Needs Storytelling
   Turning environmental challenges into meaningful narratives that inspire action

3. Why Partner with Ocean Sole
   How art, impact, and community come together

   3.1 Tangible Environmental Impact
   From beach cleanups to waste diverted from the ocean

   3.2 Purpose-Driven Gifting & Brand Storytelling
   Creating memorable objects with meaning

   3.3 Authentic Social Impact
   Jobs, skills, and long-term community partnerships

   3.4 Alignment with ESG & CSR Goals
   Transparent, measurable, and people-centred impact

4. Organisations Partnering with Ocean Sole
   Real-world collaborations that bring sustainability to life

   4.1 Rubis
   Large-scale public installations and community engagement

   4.2 KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
   Creative reuse, global storytelling, and corporate gifting

5. Why Brands Choose Ocean Sole
   Sustainability that resonates internally and externally

6. Sustainability That Lives Beyond the Campaign
   Long-term impact, not one-off gestures

7. FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered

8. Conclusion

Introduction

Today’s consumers are no longer satisfied with sustainability claims alone — they want stories, impact, and authenticity. Brands are increasingly expected to show how they create positive change, not just that they do.

This shift is why purpose-driven organisations are choosing partnerships that go beyond transactional sustainability. Partnering with Ocean Sole offers brands a unique opportunity to combine environmental action, social impact, and storytelling — all through tangible, meaningful products made from ocean-bound waste.

Why Sustainability Needs Storytelling

Sustainability initiatives often fail to resonate when they remain abstract. Numbers, metrics, and policies are important but stories are what create emotional connection.

Upcycled art offers a powerful storytelling tool. Each Ocean Sole piece can trace its journey from discarded flip-flop to finished artwork, allowing brands to share a clear, visual narrative of impact. This transforms sustainability from a background initiative into a conversation starter.

The Benefits of Partnering with Ocean Sole

1. Tangible Environmental Impact

Partnering with Ocean Sole directly contributes to removing ocean-bound plastic from the environment. Every product represents waste diverted from ecosystems that are already under pressure.

For brands, this means sustainability efforts that are visible, measurable, and easy to communicate.

2. Purpose-Driven Gifting and Branding

Ocean Sole products are frequently used as corporate gifts, event pieces, and branded merchandise. Unlike conventional promotional items, these gifts carry meaning.

Recipients don’t just receive an object, they receive a story of environmental restoration and human creativity. This makes Ocean Sole gifts memorable, values-led, and aligned with long-term brand reputation.

3. Authentic Social Impact

At the heart of Ocean Sole’s work are Kenyan artisans whose skills turn waste into art. Partnerships help support fair employment, skills development, and income generation within local communities.

For organisations seeking ethical supply chains and social responsibility, this human element is as important as the environmental one.

4. Strong Alignment with ESG and CSR Goals

Ocean Sole partnerships support multiple sustainability pillars at once:

• Environmental protection through plastic recovery

• Social impact through artisan livelihoods

• Education and awareness around plastic pollution

This multi-layered impact makes Ocean Sole an ideal partner for organisations reporting on ESG, CSR, or sustainability commitments.

Organisations Partnering with Ocean Sole

Rubis Petrol Station

Rubis has partnered with Ocean Sole to incorporate sustainability into its operations and community engagement. Through upcycled art and gifting, the partnership demonstrates how companies in traditionally high-impact industries can support innovative environmental solutions.

By working with Ocean Sole, Rubis showcases a commitment to responsible practices while supporting local creative economies.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

KLM’s partnership with Ocean Sole highlights how global brands can connect sustainability with storytelling. By choosing upcycled art made from ocean plastic, KLM reinforces its environmental messaging while supporting grassroots solutions in regions affected by plastic pollution.

The collaboration illustrates how sustainability can be expressed through thoughtful design and meaningful partnerships, rather than mass-produced merchandise.

Why Brands Choose Ocean Sole

Brands that partner with Ocean Sole are not simply purchasing products — they are aligning with a mission.

Ocean Sole offers:

• Customisable, story-rich products

• Clear environmental and social impact

• A credible, long-term sustainability narrative

• Products that spark conversation and awareness

In a crowded sustainability space, this level of authenticity stands out.

Sustainability That Lives Beyond the Campaign

One of the greatest strengths of partnering with Ocean Sole is longevity. An upcycled sculpture or gift doesn’t disappear after an event or campaign — it remains in offices, homes, and public spaces, continuing to tell its story.

This lasting presence ensures that sustainability is not momentary, but embedded into everyday environments.

FAQS: Top questions answered

1. What does Ocean Sole do and why partner with them?

Ocean Sole is a social enterprise that collects discarded flip-flops from beaches and waterways — primarily in Kenya — and transforms them into vibrant handcrafted art and sustainable products. This work directly removes ocean-bound plastic, supports local artisans with dignified employment, and creates meaningful stories that brands can share to strengthen their sustainability narratives.

Why partner:

• It creates measurable environmental impact.
  
  

• It supports ethical livelihoods and social enterprise.
  
  

• It gives brands a STORY — not just a logo — to communicate real purpose.
  
  

• It helps organisations meet CSR/ESG goals with tangible outcomes.

2. How does partnering with Ocean Sole benefit a brand’s sustainability strategy?

Partnering with Ocean Sole helps brands quantify and showcase impact beyond traditional environmental claims. Through these partnerships, organisations can:

• Demonstrate carbon-positive or waste-reducing actions.
  
  

• Share authentic narratives that resonate with customers and stakeholders.
  
  

• Participate in educational and community events.
  
  

• Produce custom artworks or branded pieces that embody sustainability goals.
  
  

This deepens credibility and avoids shallow “greenwashing” claims by anchoring sustainability in real stories and measurable clean-up efforts.

3. What types of partnerships can companies form with Ocean Sole?

Ocean Sole offers several collaboration pathways, including:
✔ Art & Brand Installations – Custom artworks that align with brand values and events.
✔ CSR Engagements – Beach clean-ups, employee activations, and community programs.
✔ Co-created Products – Jointly designed upcycled product lines that carry both brands’ identities.
✔ Educational Initiatives – Workshops and tours that amplify conservation messages.

Each format integrates environmental impact with storytelling, giving partners multiple entry points based on their goals and capacity.

4. Can small or local brands partner with Ocean Sole or is it only for large corporations?

Yes — partnerships with Ocean Sole are scalable and available to organisations of many sizes. While large brands like Rubis Petrol Station have used the collaboration to expand collection points nationwide, smaller or local brands can participate through:

• Co-sponsoring beach cleanups
  
  

• Commissioning bespoke art pieces
  
  

• Joining Ocean Sole’s awareness campaigns
  
  

• Supporting artisan workshops

5. How can partnering with Ocean Sole improve employee engagement?

Ocean Sole’s partnership programs offer experiential sustainability activities — such as clean-ups, team building through artistry, and educational tours of the workshop — that help:

• Boost morale through purpose-driven activities
  
  

• Create shared goals around impact
  
  

• Foster deeper understanding of sustainability challenges
  
  

• Give staff a memorable, hands-on experience beyond the office
  
  

This enhances internal culture while reinforcing external CSR commitments. 

Conclusion

Sustainability is no longer just about reducing harm — it is about creating value, connection, and meaning.

Partnering with Ocean Sole allows organisations to turn plastic pollution into purpose, waste into art, and sustainability into storytelling. Through authentic partnerships, brands can demonstrate real impact while inspiring others to rethink the lifecycle of plastic.

In a world searching for solutions, Ocean Sole proves that powerful change can begin with what we choose to partner with.

Check out our story

Reach out to partner with us: hello@oceansole.com